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SAFETY WARNING - FITTING WHEEL SPACERS

FROSTYmk7.5

FROSTYmk7.5

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Denver Colorado
Car(s)
mk7.5 golf gti 6MT
OldVWFan said:
I am running the same spacer widths and use 47mm lug bolts for the rear and 45mm for the front and have not experienced any looseness, however I will have to say that I have not taken any really long trips. The OEM lug bolts are 27mm in length and what I have read is to increase the bolt length by the width of the spacer at the minimum to get the correct number of thread engagement as the OEM bolts before the spacers. So it appears to me that your lengths are good.
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Thank you. I really appreciate the feedback as the length of bolts/ length of bolt actually getting threaded into the hub was a big concern for me. I will install the spacers when I get home
 
jmblur

jmblur

Autocross Champion
Location
Massachusetts
Car(s)
2017 Golf R
FROSTYmk7.5 said:
Thank you. I really appreciate the feedback as the length of bolts/ length of bolt actually getting threaded into the hub was a big concern for me. I will install the spacers when I get home
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Just make sure the bolt type is right! Conical bolts on a radius wheel (or vice versa) will, best case, damage your wheels, and worst case cause catastrophic loosening.
 
flipflp

flipflp

Autocross Newbie
Location
PNW
Car(s)
'16 Golf R DSG
anotero said:
Like what?
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Mostly the use of threadlocker to make sure your bolts don't loosen, or to use something like Nordlock washers. These are all bad suggestions.

Use hub/wheel centric spacers when possible.
Get new bolts that are longer in the threaded area equal to the thickness of the spacer.
Check you are getting 7-9 turns of thread engagement.
Make sure your bolt seat style matches your wheels.
Torque to factory torque specs, recheck after 25 miles.

Wheel spacers effectively just make your wheel mounting pad thicker, unless you're using cheap non-hub centric spacers. They are only problematic if you don't know what you're doing or buy the wrong parts.
 
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mturner1578

mturner1578

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Kansas City, MO
Car(s)
2017 MK7 GTI 4Dr
How do I know/calculate what size studs / stud conversion I need for my spacers? I have 12mm spacers in the front and 20mm spacers in back..

Thanks!
 
VL3X

VL3X

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Delaware
Car(s)
2017 GTI SE
Just found this thread after noticing my rear lugs were loose after ~100 miles driving on the shopdap flush kit and stock wheels.

I felt a vibration on the highway and assumed the OEM Dallas wheels I bought off a forum member just needed to be balanced (maybe a weight fell off). But I just washed my car and when I was detailing the rear wheels, I noticed a rear lug bolt cover was loose. Took it off and was alarmed to see the actual bolt was loose too! I got out my torque wrench and tightened it to ~90ft/lbs and was able to tighten all the other rears a bit too. The fronts were all tight. No way I could have forgotten to torque the rear wheels when installing a couple weeks ago... I'm gonna go test drive and recheck everything after. :oops:
 
SnailpowerMk7

SnailpowerMk7

Go Kart Champion
Location
NJ
Car(s)
MK7 GTI SE 6SPD MT
I had spacers on my mk6 for maybe 3 years worth with no issues. I torqued down everything myself so I'm not sure how much psi was applied to the bolts but never an issue. I would remove and re-add them as I changed my wheels every winter and back.

Are you saying all 5 of them were coming loose? I'm curious to know if anyone else would get a chance to maybe correct a loose bolt or two before all 5 came loose together...

Side question - is 15mm in the front too much and causes rubbing when turning the wheel? Has anyone tried 10mm front, 20mm in back? I like the look of 20mm but just think 15mm in front is overkill. I can't remember for the life of me what my spacers were on the mk6 but it was a flush kit set. I want to say it was like 8mm front, 10mm rear but I'm not positive.
 
OldVWFan

OldVWFan

Go Kart Champion
Location
NW Arkansas
Car(s)
17 GTI Sport
SnailpowerMk7 said:
I had spacers on my mk6 for maybe 3 years worth with no issues. I torqued down everything myself so I'm not sure how much psi was applied to the bolts but never an issue. I would remove and re-add them as I changed my wheels every winter and back.

Are you saying all 5 of them were coming loose? I'm curious to know if anyone else would get a chance to maybe correct a loose bolt or two before all 5 came loose together...

Side question - is 15mm in the front too much and causes rubbing when turning the wheel? Has anyone tried 10mm front, 20mm in back? I like the look of 20mm but just think 15mm in front is overkill. I can't remember for the life of me what my spacers were on the mk6 but it was a flush kit set. I want to say it was like 8mm front, 10mm rear but I'm not positive.
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I run 18x7.5 et 49 and 18x8 et45 with 15mm spacers front and 20mm spacers rear on stock ride height and stock size tires with no problems. I use the appropriate length wheel bolts torqued to 120 NM and have no problems. I change wheel every spring and fall and remove wheels to clean fender wells and suspension and have not had any wheel bolts loosen.
 
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